| Daily Blog • January 26, 2011 |
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We have already been working hard on the 2011 season and Today's blog is the current list for Returning Starters for each team in 2011 broken down by offense, defense and special teams (kicker/punter). The * on the offense number denotes that the starting QB is returning. Below the list I broke down teams with the most/least returning starters.
I will be back later this week with all the Senior Bowl/Pro Bowl coverage you need to prepare you for this weekend's games. On Monday I will expand on the Las Vegas odds to win the 2011 BCS National Championship and give you a breakdown of each of the 50 teams including key starters back/lost.
Returning Starters for 2011
Rk |
Team | OFF | DEF | ST | Total | Rk |
Team | OFF | DEF | ST | Total |
| 1 | Vanderbilt | 11* | 8 | 2 | 21 | 61 | Washington | 6 | 7 | 2 | 15 |
| 2 | Michigan | 9* | 9 | 2 | 20 | 62 | Washington St | 7* | 7 | 1 | 15 |
| 3 | San Jose St | 7 | 11 | 2 | 20 | 63 | Air Force | 6* | 7 | 1 | 14 |
| 4 | ULM | 10* | 8 | 2 | 20 | 64 | Akron | 6* | 7 | 1 | 14 |
| 5 | Arizona St | 10* | 9 | 0 | 19 | 65 | Baylor | 8* | 5 | 1 | 14 |
| 6 | Texas A&M | 9* | 8 | 2 | 19 | 66 | Boise St | 7* | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| 7 | Toledo | 9* | 8 | 2 | 19 | 67 | California | 7 | 5 | 2 | 14 |
| 8 | Wyoming | 8* | 9 | 2 | 19 | 68 | C Michigan | 7* | 6 | 1 | 14 |
| 9 | Florida St | 8 | 8 | 2 | 18 | 69 | East Carolina | 5* | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| 10 | Miami, Oh | 8* | 9 | 1 | 18 | 70 | Fresno St | 7 | 5 | 2 | 14 |
| 11 | New Mexico | 7* | 9 | 2 | 18 | 71 | Houston | 6* | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 12 | Notre Dame | 8* | 8 | 2 | 18 | 72 | Iowa St | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| 13 | Purdue | 7* | 9 | 2 | 18 | 73 | Kansas | 8* | 6 | 0 | 14 |
| 14 | SMU | 10* | 8 | 0 | 18 | 74 | Maryland | 7* | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| 15 | Wake Forest | 8* | 8 | 2 | 18 | 75 | N Illinois | 9* | 4 | 1 | 14 |
| 16 | Alabama | 6 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 76 | North Carolina | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| 17 | Boston College | 8* | 7 | 2 | 17 | 77 | North Texas | 6* | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 18 | BYU | 10* | 6 | 1 | 17 | 78 | Ohio | 8* | 4 | 2 | 14 |
| 19 | Cincinnati | 5* | 11 | 1 | 17 | 79 | Temple | 8* | 5 | 1 | 14 |
| 20 | Clemson | 8 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 80 | Troy | 4* | 8 | 2 | 14 |
| 21 | Colorado | 9* | 7 | 1 | 17 | 81 | Utah St | 8 | 5 | 1 | 14 |
| 22 | Connecticut | 6 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 82 | Arizona | 6* | 6 | 1 | 13 |
| 23 | FIU | 7* | 7 | 2 | 17 | 83 | Bowling Green | 6* | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| 24 | Georgia | 8* | 7 | 2 | 17 | 84 | Florida Atlantic | 7 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| 25 | Kent St | 10* | 5 | 2 | 17 | 85 | Florida | 7* | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| 26 | Kentucky | 6 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 86 | Illinois | 6* | 6 | 1 | 13 |
| 27 | Missouri | 9 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 87 | Miami, Fl | 6* | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| 28 | Northwestern | 9* | 7 | 1 | 17 | 88 | Michigan St | 6* | 6 | 1 | 13 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | 8* | 7 | 2 | 17 | 89 | Nevada | 5 | 7 | 1 | 13 |
| 30 | Tulsa | 8* | 8 | 1 | 17 | 90 | Ohio St | 8* | 4 | 1 | 13 |
| 31 | Virginia | 8 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 91 | Oregon | 6* | 5 | 2 | 13 |
| 32 | WKU | 7* | 8 | 2 | 17 | 92 | San Diego St | 7* | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| 33 | Ball St | 8* | 7 | 1 | 16 | 93 | South Carolina | 7* | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| 34 | Marshall | 5 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 94 | Stanford | 5* | 6 | 2 | 13 |
| 35 | Memphis | 7* | 7 | 2 | 16 | 95 | Syracuse | 7* | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| 36 | Mississippi | 9 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 96 | Tennessee | 7* | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| 37 | NC State | 8* | 8 | 0 | 16 | 97 | Texas Tech | 5 | 8 | 0 | 13 |
| 38 | New Mexico St | 7* | 7 | 2 | 16 | 98 | UNLV | 7 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| 39 | Penn St | 7* | 8 | 1 | 16 | 99 | USC | 6* | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| 40 | Pittsburgh | 8* | 8 | 0 | 16 | 100 | Utah | 7* | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| 41 | Rice | 7* | 7 | 2 | 16 | 101 | UTEP | 3 | 8 | 2 | 13 |
| 42 | Rutgers | 10* | 5 | 1 | 16 | 102 | Virginia Tech | 6 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| 43 | Tulane | 7* | 7 | 2 | 16 | 103 | West Virginia | 8* | 4 | 1 | 13 |
| 44 | UAB | 7* | 8 | 1 | 16 | 104 | Buffalo | 8* | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| 45 | UCLA | 7* | 8 | 1 | 16 | 105 | Georgia Tech | 6 | 5 | 1 | 12 |
| 46 | W Michigan | 6* | 8 | 2 | 16 | 106 | Kansas St | 5 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
| 47 | Arkansas | 6 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 107 | Middle Tenn | 7 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| 48 | Arkansas St | 6* | 7 | 2 | 15 | 108 | Navy | 7 | 5 | 0 | 12 |
| 49 | Colorado St | 7* | 6 | 2 | 15 | 109 | Nebraska | 5* | 7 | 0 | 12 |
| 50 | Duke | 7* | 6 | 2 | 15 | 110 | Oregon St | 7* | 4 | 1 | 12 |
| 51 | E Michigan | 6* | 7 | 2 | 15 | 111 | UCF | 7* | 4 | 1 | 12 |
| 52 | Idaho | 5 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 112 | USF | 4* | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| 53 | Indiana | 6 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 113 | Wisconsin | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| 54 | LA Tech | 6 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 114 | Army | 6* | 4 | 1 | 11 |
| 55 | LSU | 8* | 7 | 0 | 15 | 115 | Louisiana | 5* | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| 56 | Minnesota | 5 | 9 | 1 | 15 | 116 | Louisville | 3 | 6 | 2 | 11 |
| 57 | Miss St | 8* | 7 | 0 | 15 | 117 | Hawaii | 3* | 6 | 1 | 10 |
| 58 | Oklahoma St | 9* | 5 | 1 | 15 | 118 | Iowa | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 |
| 59 | Southern Miss | 6* | 7 | 2 | 15 | 119 | TCU | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| 60 | Texas | 8* | 6 | 1 | 15 | 120 | Auburn | 3 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
As of right now new Vanderbilt HC James Franklin will be inheriting one of the most experienced teams in the country with a total of the 21 of the 24 players back for this season including all 11 starters on offense. They will be led on offense by all-purpose RB Warren Norman and on defense LB Chris Marve returns after posting 80 tkls a year ago.
New Michigan HC Brady Hoke also inherits one of the more experienced teams in the country with the Wolverines returning 20 starters led by All-American candidate Robinson at QB. It will be interesting to see how the Wolverine players adapt to the new schemes on both sides of the ball.
Texas A&M seems to be a contender to be ranked in the pre-season top 10 next year and they return 19 starters including QB Tannehill who did a fantastic job being called on this year when Johnson was struggling. On defense the Aggies return 8 starters but do lose their leader in OLB Von Miller.
Despite losing RB Ingram, WR Jones and DE Dareus to the NFL draft early, the Crimson Tide still return 17 starters including 9 on what could be the best defense in the country next season led by FS Mark Barron.
On the opposite end is the defending national champion Auburn Tigers who return only 7 starters next year which is an incredible 3 fewer than any other team. Naturally the loss of Newton and Fairley will hurt and you have to think they will find it tough getting to double digit wins but Chizik has out-performed expectations to date.
Rose Bowl Champ TCU also will suffer heavy losses with just 10 starters back next season. Losing their leader on offense in Andy Dalton will hurt but Tank Carder returns on defense. While the Horned Frogs should still get to the 10 win mark, you have to think another 12-0 regular season will be out of their reach with the key losses.